This invention relates generally to machines for the manufacture of building block and more particularly concerns a machine and a method for making blocks of pressed earth.
In my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,033, a pressed earth block machine suitable for the manufacture of flat-surfaced blocks was disclosed. However, the invention disclosed therein is not suitable for the manufacture of blocks having three-dimensional surfaces in the orthogonally oriented sides of the blocks. In some building applications, it is desirable that the blocks have a tongue and groove configuration in both their lateral sides for maximum strength between laterally adjacent blocks and in their upper and lower surfaces for maximum strength between vertically adjacent blocks. A three dimensional configuration in orthogonal faces presents new problems in the pressing of the block in the breech, the ejection of the block from the breech and the transfer of the ejected block out of the path of the breech without causing damage to the block or its three dimensional contours. These problems are in addition to the normal requirements in speed of manufacture of the blocks, consistency of size and density of the blocks and simplicity of operation and maintenance of the machine.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a machine and method for manufacturing pressed earth blocks which make pressed earth blocks of constant density and depth. Another object of this invention is to provide a machine and method for manufacturing pressed earth blocks which facilitate the rapid production of uniform earth blocks. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a machine and method for manufacturing pressed earth blocks which produce blocks which are tongued-and-grooved in block surfaces that are orthogonal to each other.